Windows 10: Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer in Windows 10

How to: Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer in Windows 10

How to Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer in Windows 10


Information Numerical sorting in File Explorer is enabled by default in Windows 10.

When numerical sorting is enabled, File Explorer will sort file names by increasing number value (for example, 3 < 22 < 111).

When numerical sorting is disabled, File Explorer will sort file names by each digit in a file name (for example, 111 < 22 < 3).

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable numerical sorting in File Explorer for all users in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable numerical sorting in File Explorer.

CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer using Local Group Policy Editor
• Option Two: To Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer using a REG file

EXAMPLE: Numerical Sorting in File Explorer Enabled and Disabled











OPTION ONE [/i] To Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer using Local Group Policy Editor


Note Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option TWO below.


1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\File Explorer




3. In the right pane of File Explorer in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Turn off numerical sorting in File Explorer policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5. To Enable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

NOTE: Not Configured is the default setting.

6. To Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer
A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)




7. When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer using a REG file


Note The .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry keys below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

NoStrCmpLogical DWORD

(delete) = Enable
1 = Disable


1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Enable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_numerical_sorting_in_File_Explorer.reg

Download

3. To Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_numerical_sorting_in_File_Explorer.reg

Download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. sign in to apply.

8. You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Change the Sort by View of a Folder in Windows 10

:)

 

File Explorer sort by date not accurate

Hey Rich @Ztruker, *Smile

Here you go: Enable or Disable Numerical Sorting in File Explorer in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

 

My files will not sort alpha-numerically in Windows 10

How to Disable Numerical File Name Sorting and Enable Classic Literal Sorting in Windows Explorer? - AskVG

Keith

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Numerical Sorting in File Explorer - Change the Collating Sequence


I was checking out the collating sequence on Windows 7 for a friend and found this post on SevenForums:

Numerical Sorting in Windows Explorer - Enable or Disable - Windows 7 Help Forums

Curious, I decided to give it a go on W10 even though this computer did not have the full key in the registry. I was not especially brave since I had saved a full image this morning. (You do have to reboot between changes for them to take effect.)

I created 8 files numbered 01, 1, 02, 2, 4, 15, 25, and 45. Then I downloaded the .reg files from that web site and applied them to see what happens. It appears W10 changed the default. It also appears the changes are still valid choices.

Anyway, W10 default is definitely with numeric sort enabled. As I created them, they came out in 01, 1, 02, 2, 4, 15, 25, and 45. (I don't know if the leading 0 is disregarded completely and might sort differently at some times, but they are in true numeric sequence since lead 0s should be disregarded.)

I ran the one to enable them first since disabled was the W7 default, and nothing changed. That reinforced that the defaults have been switched.

Then I ran the one to disable the numeric sort and the sequence changed to 01, 02, 1, 15, 2, 25, 4, 45. Basically straight ASCII collating sequence, not the numeric sequence Windows provides.

Anyway, I thought someone might be interested, and perhaps the equivalent information could be added to the Tutorials for W10 (reversing the default spec).

(edited to clean up mixed fonts)

 

jpg's and mp3's not grouping correctly in File Explorer

I never suggested or mentioned doing that.

- It did for me, sorry it doesn't for you.

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